The Assistive Technology Libraries/Programs

The Assistive Technology Act of 1998, as amended provides funding to states for assistive technology services in the U.S., as well as, the District of Columbia and five U.S. territories.  Assistive technology services include demonstrations and short-term loans.  While each state or territory may run their program a little differently, they all provide the same core services. Your next assignment is to find your A T Act Program!

If you live in Minnesota, you can visit our web page (Go to the Minnesota STAR Program web page). Find the “contact us” section and locate our phone number and email address.

If you do not live in Minnesota, you can visit the RESNA Catalyst Project to find the program where you live. Go to the RESNA Catalyst Project web page. Once there, click on the name of your state or territory to find its A T Act Program contact information and website.

Excellent! Keep this number and email address somewhere easy to find. You will see why as you read on.

Do you know what you need but have trouble explaining it? Have you seen a piece of assistive technology but can’t remember the name? Are you searching for information about a particular assistive technology service? If so, your Assistive Technology Act Program can help you find answers to your A T questions and connect you with services and resources! Remember if you need to get in touch with your A T Act Program, you can use the contact information you found during the last section.

When you are ready to begin investigating assistive technology solutions such as a particular device or software program, a demonstration may be helpful. You can contact your Assistive Technology Act Program to learn how to request a demonstration. During a demonstration, an A T expert can show you a variety of assistive technology options, help you compare devices with similar features and answer questions. Don’t worry, demonstrations are not part of a sales pitch and you will not be pressured to select or buy a specific device. The goal of a demonstration is to help you decide if assistive technology meets your need.

In Minnesota, the STAR Program offers two types of device loans:

Short Term Loans

Assistive technology loans let you borrow devices to try at home, school, work, or wherever there’s a need. This allows you to make sure A T meets your needs before you invest in making a purchase. Short term loans are for 30-days or less. After thirty days, you must return the A T you borrowed to the loan program and complete a survey about your loan experience. You may decide to borrow more than one device to help you compare features and see which device is best for you.

Short term loans can also be used if you need a loaner while your personal device is being repaired or if you are waiting to receive a new device.

Open-Ended (Long Term) Loans

Minnesota also offers open-ended loans of assistive technology for use in higher education, employment and certain community environments. Open-ended loans are long term loans that do not have a set return date; this means you can keep the assistive technology for as long as you need it. This type of loan may be helpful if you do not qualify for funding, need a device for longer than thirty days or are looking for an older device that is only available through this program.